It is well known that the modern drying and ironing machines for fabrics, comprise a drum on which the textile piece is stretched, dried and ironed by heating the drum or a heated half-cylinder surrounding the latter. The drum may be either fixed or rotating, according to the type of drying and ironing machine which is used. This machine is called "mural" when the intake and the extraction of the fabrics take place at the front part of the machine, which facilitates the operation. In this case, the textile piece is introduced from the top along the whole length of its front edge which is engaged by the endless bands of an introduction table. Then, it is applied on the drum and carried along by a travelling belt or by endless bands which are driven by planet-drums. When it is dried and ironed, the textile piece leaves the machine at its lower front part and it is collected in bulk in a frontal receiving container.
The applicant is the owner of the French Patent Application No. 80.07500/2.479.789 relating to a drying, ironing and folding machine wherein the dried and ironed textiles piece is folded longitudinally, i.e. along several folds parallel to the front edge before it is collected in said frontal receiving container. In particular, this drying, ironing and folding machine is provided with means for controlling the folding length "L", i.e. the distance between two successive folds, as a function of the length of the textile piece, whatever the travelling speed of this piece may be in the drying and ironing machine.
Whether the machine is a simple one or a drying, ironing and folding machine as mentioned hereinabove, the problem of the accurate introduction of the textile piece remains open, whether the machine belongs to the first or to the second type. In fact, this introduction is only accurate if it occurs silmultaneously all along the front edge of the piece. This require the front edge to be stretched between its ends and to make sure that both ends of this front edge are introduced simultaneously in the drying and ironing machine. The width (i.e. the length of the front edge) of the textile piece, and particularly of the bed-sheets, often amounts to 150 cm, and it is consequently difficult, if not impossible, for one single worker to carry out correctly the introduction of the sheet into the machine.
Several machines have been proposed which do not need the intervention of more than one worker. They make use of a movable outfit which is either oscillating (FR-A-No.1.415.903) or rotating (GB-A-No.2.022.623) or also moved in translation (FR-A-No.1.480.613), the first device using grippers which are moved by costly systems provided with jacks.